MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Huge crowds of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia threw pebbles at a pillar in a symbolic ritual on one of the final days of the Hajj in temperatures reaching over 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) as Muslims around the world on Wednesday started celebrating the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha.Pilgrims in Mina chanted “Allahu akbar,” or “God is great,” in the ritual seen as a symbolic stoning of the devil. The act is also seen as rejecting evil and a commemoration of the Prophet Ibrahim’s rejection of temptation when the devil tried to dissuade him from submitting to God’s will.The physically demanding Hajj is occurring in intense heat. Many pilgrims poured water over their heads to cool themselves or carried umbrellas. Saudi authorities have highlighted the importance of drinking water and reducing direct exposure to sunlight. The National Center of Meteorology shared the high temperatures.
Aamar Shakur, a pilgrim from Pakistan, said he saw the pebble throwing as a symbol of confronting personal struggles in which he was “throwing the stone to my own devil.”Crowds moved through the sprawling Jamarat complex after arriving from Muzdalifah, following a day of worship and prayer at Arafat on Tuesday.
